Shoes

Downtown has the more familiar landmarks like the Bank of America tower and the Modis building, but tucked near the corner of North Laura and West Forsyth is a landmark less pronounced.

Welcome to the current location of Gus & Company Shoe Repair, now in its second century on the First Coast.
Though the shop's location has changed several times over several generations, it has become a mainstay of the downtown business community.
It is also something of a barometer of our economic times.

On this sunny Wednesday in February, customers are lined up to be greeted by owner Greg Vaccaro as they drop off and pick up their shoes.
The rear wall is filled with neatly placed brown paper bags containing finished repairs, each with the customers tag stapled to the front.
Tomorrow's repairs are piling up in a basket behind Vaccaro."We stay real busy!" he exclaims, while ringing up yet another sale.

Vaccaro says a slower economy means more business.

"This economy has all the lawyers fixing everything. The Bankers. Everybody. Instead of buying new shoes, they're getting their old ones fixed!"
Vaccaro says there's another advantage to re-soling versus buying new.

"Longer lasting by far. Three or four times longer lasting than a new pair of shoes. Plus, they're already broken in and comfortable!"
Many of Gus & Company's customers are downtown professionals wearing better than average shoes, with better than average pricetags."Anywhere from $150 to $350-$400-500-dollars and on up from that also," says Vaccaro.

And so he says many customers are foregoing the cash outlay for new shoes, opting instead to see him.
He says many customers are bringing shoes in by the bagful. "Four, five, six, seven, eight pair of shoes we get. everyday we get bags of shoes!"
Vaccaro says it's simple economics

"They'll get six or seven pair of shoes fixed for the price it would cost for one brand new pair!"
And while business is steady right now, Vaccaro hopes it won't get 'too busy.' He says reviewing 100-years of the company books showed Gus & Company's best week ever back in 1929 --just before the Wall Street Crash that led to the Great Depression.
The second best week, he says, was before 'Black-Monday' --the Wall Street Crash of 1987.

It's a pattern Vaccaro says he hopes he'll never see again.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 06:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A foot blister can have a very painful effect on a person's daily routine.

Foot blisters generally occur because of friction and burns caused by shoes that don't fit a person's feet properly, but there's no reason you should have to grin and bear the pain of a foot blister -- especially if you purchase shoes that offer the right combination of size, comfort and support.

The Mayo Clinic suggests consumers keep the following tips in mind when shopping for shoes:

*Head out on a midday shoe-shopping trip. A person's feet swell throughout the day, so a midday fitting probably offers the best opportunity for a proper fit.

*Wear socks you'll use when walking, or bring them with you to the store.

*Measure your feet each time you buy new shoes. Shoe sizes change throughout adulthood.

*Measure both feet and always try on both shoes. If your feet differ in size, go with the larger size.

*Examine shoes for flexibility, support and cushioned insoles.

*Make sure you can comfortably wiggle your toes inside the new shoes.

*Avoid shoes with seams in the toe box. Seams may irritate bunions or hammertoes.

*Take care when buying socks, too. Special athletic socks, for instance, feature extra padding in critical areas.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stereotypes suggest that all women love to shop for clothes and all men despise it.

Is this true?



The act of shopping stirs up numerous feelings and opinions. For some, it immediately creates excitement. For others, it is seen as a chore that they stubbornly try to avoid, similar to a 5-year-old fighting his parents over eating vegetables.

Shopping is a part of everyone's life; the amount and attention given to this activity is what differs. When you walk out the door to shop for clothes, the intentions are the same no matter what your gender - you want to leave the store with what you set out to find.

Is there anything you can do before leaving your house that will result in a more joyous shopping experience? If you loathe shopping for clothes, then you might simply be going about it incorrectly.

One trend is that young men these days are shopping more like young women. What does this mean? It means that gender no longer is a defining factor when it comes to your shopping behavior. According to WSL Strategic Retail's study, young men make 3.6 shopping trips per week compared to 4.1 by younger women. The survey also reveals that young men visit 1.6 stores, nearly the same amount as young women at 1.9.

Retailers are well aware of this statistic and realize that young men represent opportunity and are the generation for growth. Abercrombie & Fitch alongside Express for Men are a few examples of stores who appeal to young male shoppers.

From where did this young men shopping trend stem? Many young men are growing up in households with working moms who do not have time to do all of their shopping. They are responsible for doing more of their own shopping and heading to the stores for their clothing needs. Another factor might be that men are marrying at an older age, which is causing them to do their own shopping at a younger age.

To help leave your home before shopping in the right frame of mind, especially when it comes to the No. 1 one shopping frustration - clothing - try these two techniques.

First, how you walk into a store reflects how you will feel when looking and trying on clothing. My suggestion is to begin your clothing quest showered, hair combed, dressed in clothing you look nice in and feeling good.

Secondly, wear slip-on shoes. It is frustrating to have to lace up or fiddle with straps and buckles repeatedly while trying on clothing. Reducing annoyances, even as minor as fiddling with shoes in the dressing room, will result in a more enjoyable shopping experience.

Male or female, we all shop and we all enjoy a successful shopping endeavor. Take my word for it and try these simple tips. It might allow you to leave a store happy and content with new possessions and keep you from dreading your next shopping occurrence.

It might be simple but it truly works. What were you wearing the last time you went shopping?



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Posted by Bobbo Gus at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Kenneth Cole men’s shoes Reaction collection offers men everything from thong sandals to stylish dress shoes. This grandiose collection of footwear comes in all different varieties, shapes, sizes, and colors. The Kenneth Cole Men’s shoes Reaction collection is loaded with trendy choices for men. Let’s start with the casual.

The casual offerings of the Reaction collection range from clogs to sport shoes and everything in between. Reaction Men’s Glide Open and the Men’s Straight Plush are both examples of the clogs offered by the men’s collection. Still, there is more casual footwear that Reaction gives men to choose from. There are corporate casual pieces, like the Men’s Lace Off, the One Line Day, the Line in Time and many more. These shoes offer men the luxury of comfort with the style of business.

If business casual is not enough, Reaction gives men several options for a dress look. The Reaction Flex a Bit and Flex Along are shiny leather shoes that scream sophistication, while the Reaction Men’s Row Boat lends to a sportier dress look. The Men’s Puzzle Piece is an intriguing and unique style. These are loafer style with a square toe, and apron style stitched toe seam detail.

Reaction also provides a great selection in men’s view. For a funky take on a cowboy look, try Men’s Red Line. These snakeskin boots can be dressed up or dressed down, with a tapered toe and western style stitching. If snakeskin is not your thing, the Red Line also comes in black or brown leather. For a more casual and rugged look, try the Reaction Pine Nuts. These rounded, plain toe shoes offer stitched accents, but it’s the one inch sole and heel.

Sandals should also be part of a man’s footwear wardrobe. These can range from thong sandals, commonly referred to as flip flops, and more sturdy standards that men can wear with anything. Some of the thong options include Flip 5-0, the Beachy-Keen, and the Sport Graffiti. Sandals that men can wear at work or at play include the Sand-man, the Top Spin, the Flip Wilson, and the Surf the Net, to name a few.

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Women who are excited about sports whether it is running, softball or volleyball need the right kind of athletic shoe. This is especially true when it comes to running. There is a wide selection of womens shoes to choose from when looking for an athletic shoe.

The purpose of an athletic shoe is to protect the foot from the stresses of your sport, while permitting the athlete to achieve her maximum potential through maximum effort. This of course is accomplished much better when you have selected the right shoe from the right shoe store.

Despite the fact that in some parts of the world athletes run and participate in sports barefooted, most of us require and benefit from the use of sport specific shoes. An athletic shoe that is built and designed with the sport in mind.

The concept of "Sport Specific Shoes" is an important one. It means that if you are a sports fanatic and participate in multiple sports you need an athletic shoe that is specific to each of those sports. If you lift weights, play tennis, perform aerobics, run 20 miles per week, cycle, play golf and mountain climb, do yourself a big favor and don't try to make your cross trainers do it all. Just skip the cross trainer and get yourself shoes that are specifically made for each sport.


Online shoe stores offer any and all kinds of athletic shoes that will cover all your sports needs with the convenience of making that selection from home. But, don't forget to do your homework and understand your sports shoe need before the selection and purchase.

About the Author

Bonnie Parker is the Webmaster and content provider for Online Shoes. His website: Womans Shoes is dedicated to providing free fashion advice and tips for women. Offering excellent tips and strategies for women to look good in the areas of Casual, Petite Size, Plus Size clothing, as well as dress, athletic and casual shoes.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)